Sixth Circuit Victory in Labor Dispute

BSP attorneys Stephanie Douglas and Jessica Currie secured a victory for their client in an action brought by a current union employee claiming employment discrimination and retaliation. In a unanimous published decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment on the discrimination claims, holding that under the hybrid structure of the Labor Management Relations Act, some claims failed for lack of evidence, and others were time-barred. The Court also affirmed judgment on the retaliation claim, holding that the employee’s own physician-imposed restrictions provided a legitimate, non-retaliatory reason for placing him on no-work-available leave. The case is Saunders v. Ford Motor Co. et al., No. 17-5277, and the opinion can be accessed here.